And Then She Fell
by eeevawn
Summary: You're scared that such a risk would tear down the infrastructure of order and meticulous planning in your head. I dare say that you are afraid that you will start to sink again if Hermione Granger turns you down.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione Granger smiled at the sight of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. It had been over three years since she had even stepped foot into Diagon Alley.

She had been away on special Ministry business in Egypt to offer assistance in breaking rune-like scripts alongside the Ministry's own archaeologists. Hermione inhaled deeply and her grin widened at the shade of the evening sky. Egypt's sun had a habit of being scorching hot.

The lights were all on in the upper level at the Weasleys' joke shop. This meant that Ron and George were still awake. She walked the remaining steps to the shop's door and pulled it open.

"Hello!" she called out happily.

"Bloody hell! We told you we were closed, kid!"

"Watch your tone, Ronald!" Hermione chuckled. She walked to the stairwell of the shop careful not to bump into the newest creation of Snizzlers; a toy triggered by touch that caused the buyer to sneeze. With each sneeze, nose hair grew longer.

"Ginny?" Ronald Weasley questioned. Hermione could hear the floorboards creaking above her as the youngest Weasley boy walked across the room above.

"No, you dolt," she retorted. She began to climb the stairs. "Hermione!" Ron exclaimed running down the stairs. He practically crushed Hermione with a hug.

"What an idiot, you are. How are you?"

"I'm great. We were a bit worried about you as you haven't written us for a month," Ron spoke as he released her.

"Sorry, we were wrapping up our research, there in Egypt. We've learned lots about those ancient wizards. How is George doing?"

Ron grinned widely and rolled his eyes. "Right now, he's sleeping. We have had quite the busy day, here. Kids are stocking up on April Fool's trickery. Plus, it's his birthday then and well…it's only been five years since Fred…" Ron trailed off and his eyes teared up a bit before he blinked away the memory.

His grin reappeared on his face as if it never left.

"I understand. Well, I just wanted to drop by to let you know that I was back in London, in person. I dropped by to see your sister earlier but Harry wasn't yet home from training, apparently. Your nephew seems to be doing very well!"

"Haha. Yes, James is quite the wonder, that spacey boy. Yeah, according to Gin, Harry's been spending more time at work lately since his new partner abruptly quit on him," said Ron with a grimace.

"It makes no sense for someone to abruptly quit such a partnership. I mean…he is Harry Potter, after all," Hermione tsked. She and her ginger-haired best friend said their goodnights and Hermione apparated to her newly acquired flat.

An hour later found Hermione relaxing on her most comfortable couch in the sitting room of her flat. Crookshanks was curled up next to his owner and sleeping soundly as she re-read her most favorite book, _Hogwarts, A History_.

Tomorrow she would visit Flourish and Blotts.

xxxxx

Draco Malfoy pushed his reading glasses up on his nose. He didn't particularly hate studying but it became tedious after three straight hours. He was sitting in Flourish and Blotts and desired to leave the small study cubicle in the back of the store but he knew that he couldn't.

If he didn't study then he would never pass the exams required to become head of the Potions Deciphering department of the ministry. He didn't have a job, as he wanted to spend every moment he could, studying. With his family fortune, he didn't need to work.

The blond-haired man reached his arms above his head and stretched them before folding them across the table. He rested his head on his folded arms. Thirty minutes of sleep wouldn't be such an issue. Yet instead of sleep, he found himself wondering about his parents.

Lucius Malfoy had died shortly after the Second Wizarding War, from a run in with a death eater who had evaded the aurors that were after him. The senior Malfoy was killed because he actually cared for his family in the long run.

Narcissa, following her husband's death, moved to the countryside to live in peace away from the wizarding community's speculating eyes.

Draco wasn't so lucky. On some days, sad ones, he wished for death. He never denied allegations of attempting to murder Albus Dumbledore during his sixth year. No one ever questioned why the attempts were halfhearted. He didn't desire to kill anyone, yet he was viewed a killer.

He wished to die because up until his sixth year he followed his father's command with no question. In his opinion, he didn't deserve to live knowing that at one point he supported his father's pureblood views and ultimately, Voldemort's. He was foolish.

On days like these, good days, he dreamed of working with potions, partly due to his fascination with the subject. He'd always questioned how the mixture of a few simple plants and animal parts could make a deadly potion. And also, due to his late god-father's success with the subject.

Romance was not an issue. He just did not desire to pursue relationships from the many pureblooded young witches that offered him one. Their views were too superficial and fickle. Perhaps if he did wish to go about a relationship, it would be for love.

Draco Malfoy chuckled to himself at the thought and pushed his glasses to the top of his head and leaned back in his chair. Love? How silly. Silly enough to ensure the destruction of Lord Voldemort by Harry Potter, it seems.

The young man let out a sigh as he teetered his chair back and forth, lost to his thoughts.

xxxxx

"I'm glad you agreed to come out with me, Luna," Hermione smiled.

Luna Lovegood grinned back cheekily. "No problem at all," she spoke in her dreamy voice, "I find myself bored when Neville apparates to Hogwarts in the mornings." Luna referred to Neville Longbottom's job as Hogwart's own Herbology professor.

"Fabulous. Did you have anywhere that you needed to go?"

"I don't believe so. I wouldn't mind stopping by the bookshop to see if they've got the new edition of _Nargle See and Nargle Don't_, but I expect that we'll be stopping by there anyway."

Luna's silvery grey eyes looked toward Flourish and Blott's while she twirled a strand of her wispy dirty-blonde hair with her fingers. Hermione shook her head and locked arms with the loopy girl. The two marched toward the bookstore.

Luna headed over to the magical creatures section as soon as they stepped foot into the building while Hermione debated venturing into the historical section or the potions section.

She opted on potions. Though she was considered the most gifted witch of her age, potion making had never been her favorite subject. Her friends figured that it was because of Severus Snape ignoring her indignant hand in the air every time that he asked a question.

Reading more on the subject was _sure _to give her an interest in it. _Elixirs To Charm The Mind_, seemed like a good read. With a flick of her wand, the book came down from its high shelf to rest in Hermione's arms. As soon as she opened the book to its first page, she was completely enamored.

She was, in fact, so enamored that she continued to walk deeper into the store towards the study cubicles where one, Draco Malfoy, was teetering in his chair. Hermione walked along the cubicles, her nose still buried in the book she read. She did not see the leaning chair of Draco, nor did he see her.

Both aloof due to their distractive thoughts had no reason to prepare for the accident that would occur.

Hermione's right foot caught the back leg of Draco's chair causing her to fall down onto the hard floor of Flourish and Blotts. In turn, Draco's chair spun round once before toppling over, with him in it.

Both looked up to see a wand in each of their faces.

"I see that the war has taught you to always be prepared for the unexpected, Granger."

"I should say the same…Malfoy," Hermione retorted, tucking her wand back into her cloak, while blowing her frizzy curls out of her face.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not claim to own Harry Potter and this is written as a fan's appreciation for the series.

Chapter 2

The two sat on the floor in awkward positions glaring at one another. Draco Malfoy placed his wand back into his robes and stood up. He glanced around to be sure that no one in the shop had noticed his fall. Everything seemed the same.

"Well, are you going to sit there all day?" He snarled, lightly brushing invisible dirt off of his trousers.

"Just as rude as ever, I see," drawled a familiar voice other than Hermione's. Draco looked up in alarm. The ever so charming Blaise Zabini was there with a smirk upon his face.

Blaise's dark eyes tilted up slyly as his smirk widened at Draco's surprise. With a shake of the head, Blaise bowed down slightly and reached his hand out to the witch on the floor.

During their years at Hogwarts, Blaise walked around with a quiet air about him. He was charming yet it seemed as if he were bored all of the time. He didn't go out of his way to insult the other houses but he didn't oppose the treatment either.

During the war he and his parents were neutral which for the most part didn't seem to be an issue. Instead of choosing sides, they relocated to his family's private island to wait it out. He'd even invited Draco to come with him but he refused the offer. He said something about obligatory family issues.

One year after the war Zabini returned to London and sought out his best friend only to discover that Draco was deep within the throes of depression. It took two years to get the man to get off of his arse and into work again. Blaise had figured that things were getting better. He thought that Malfoy had broken out of his cocoon of self-pity, but apparently that wasn't so.

Hermione blinked up at Blaise Zabini in confusion before taking his hand. Once she was on her feet, she cleared her throat and stuck her hand out again in greeting.

"Zabini."

"Ms. Granger." Zabini took the offered hand and lightly kissed the back of it. When he released Hermione's hand, she pulled it back to her slowly. She didn't have anything against the darker skinned boy. In fact, she admired his cool attitude and smarts. Blaise also worked for the Ministry and he assisted a few times on the archaeological sites.

"How'd you know where to find me, Zabini?" questioned the blond boy. Malfoy had righted his chair and was sitting in it properly. His face tilted up towards his best friend.

"I didn't. I simply saw my dear friend Luna Lovegood walk into this building and I thought I'd say hello. Once lunch arrangements were made she and I split apart to find Ms. Granger here for the aforementioned lunch. I didn't expect to see you," Blaise spoke in a manner of nonchalance while gesturing at each syllable he uttered.

"Well take Granger and go. I've got studying to do. She's caused too much of a distraction already."

Draco turned his back to them and flipped his study book to the next page.

"No, you don't understand, Draco," Blaise paused to pick up the potions study book, "You're going to join us for lunch."

Draco furrowed his eyebrows at the thought of dining with the muggleborn witch and her spacey friend. Blaise was a very determined fellow and generally when he said something, it was to be. Besides, he owed the man his life.

He would go to this lunch, albeit, reluctantly and he would not enjoy it.

xxxxx

The Three Broomstick's was a lovely refuge in March as it presented a cozy warmth. Hermione begrudgingly took off her winter cloak and sat down at the table. Luna sat down right next to her. Unfortunately, Malfoy had no choice but to sit across from her once Zabini took his seat across from Luna.

"So, Hermione, how does it feel to be back in London after such an extensive time in Africa?" Blaise questioned once they were all settled. Hermione looked at him to be sure that he was genuinely curious before answering.

"It feels good, actually. I don't have the sun beating down on me. I'm seeing friends again. Though, I do feel that it's going to be a bit boring around here, I don't mind," the frizzy haired witch answered.

Hermione glanced down at her menu, already knowing what she was going to order.

"That's wonderful. I hope you find something to stimulate your mind," Blaise's dark eyes turned to Luna, "I read in _The Quibbler_ that you were engaged to Longbottom. How did that come about?"

Hermione grinned in reminiscence when Luna owled her to tell her the news three months ago.

"We had a pregnancy scare," Luna said simply. Her eyes looked up in remembrance. Draco snorted which earned the glare of Hermione and the quizzical gaze of Blaise. Luna's head was still in the clouds.

"Longbottom, father a child?" Draco rolled his eyes, his usual scowl on his face.

"He'd make a much better father than you," Hermione retorted, defending her friend. Sensing a squabble, Blaise stood up pulling Luna with him. They walked over to the bar to greet Madam Rosmerta.

"One would like to think so," Draco bit back. He held his hand up and Hermione flinched thinking he was drawing his wand. But, he only just inspected his fingernails.

"I know so. You see, Neville didn't grow up in a home filled with Death Eaters. He--," Hermione was cut off by the look in Malfoy's grey eyes. It was a look she was all too familiar with. There was regret and then there was anger. At that moment, she was reminded of Harry Potter right after his god-father had died.

Without a word, Draco Malfoy picked up his cloak and disapparated. Reflecting back on her choice of words, two seconds afterward, Hermione felt shame.

"So much for lunch," she grumbled to herself.

xxxxxx

Please Review


	3. Chapter 3

I do not claim to own Harry Potter and this is written as a fan's appreciation for the series.

Thanks to you all. :]

Chapter 3

"I'm an idiot! How could I have been so rude?! I know that he's an absolute git but that gives me no right—."

Harry Potter placed his hand over his best friend's mouth to silence her. Hermione had contacted him by owl after her botched lunch session with the two Slytherins and Luna.

He had finally gotten one of his secretaries trained to substitute in his former partner's place until he could find someone more qualified therefore he had a day off. Harry Potter's business was a branch of the Ministry in which he trained qualified wizards who had failed their auror exams.

"We've finally gotten James to sleep. Calm down."

Hermione plopped down in the Potter's overstuffed red couch before abruptly standing again.

"He'll be at the Leaky Cauldron around six o'clock. He's almost always there. Go apologize," Harry suggested with a shrug.

"Are you even aware of how embarrassing that'll be?" Hermione pinched the bridge to her nose and plopped back down on the couch. This was not supposed to be happening. Why was she feeling guilt?

"Yet, it's the right thing, Hermione. He's a git but he's also respectful these days. He'll listen to you as long as you play nice," spoke Harry. He raised his eyebrows when her face contorted in disagreement.

"I doubt that someone could change so easily. I know that he helped us in the war but I hardly think that makes him _respectful_," Hermione grimaced.

"You've been away for more than three years, Hermione, almost four," Harry shook his head, "Trust me when I say that he is a changed man."

Xxxxx

So there she was, standing at the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron. The smell of firewhiskey was in the air, stale. The shaded lights of the pub invited people in.

Hermione sighed as she swiveled her neck around slowly hoping that Harry was wrong about Malfoy's timing at the inn. She would definitely not mind going home to curl up on her couch with a novel.

Unfortunately her hopes were voided. She found herself staring at the back of his silvery-blond head. Her shoulders automatically slouched in disappointment. Hermione was determined to apologize in the least apologetic way.

When she was standing right behind him she debated turning around and owling him from the comfort of her home later but alas--.

"Are you going to stand there all night?"

"Uh..no," muttered Hermione. She climbed up onto the stool right beside Malfoy. An empty mug and half-full pitcher sat on the bar in front of him. His eyes were looking down at his hands, which were locked together.

"I'd like to—," Hermione was interrupted by Malfoy's slight raise of his hand.

"It's all right, Granger. You don't have to apologize. Everything you said was true," he spoke in a haunting manner, his voice gruff. Hermione was taken aback by his demeanor. She had come here to apologize, damn it. And she was going to do so.

"No, it's not all right, Malfoy. I was extremely rude," she started. She didn't continue. Firstly, because she didn't know how to, and secondly, because his slate grey eyes moved to hers condescendingly.

"I will not accept any apology that you've come here to give. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like for you to leave. Goodbye, Granger," Malfoy scowled. He took his pitcher and poured the rest of the beverage into his mug before taking a swig.

"Why not?"

Draco Malfoy closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. The witch wasn't going to leave. There was no wonder why Snape couldn't stand her persistent hand in the air during the Hogwarts years.

"Why do you want to apologize, Granger?" he questioned softly.

Hermione did not like the fact that he answered her question with another. She was going to voice that dislike when his question registered in her mind. Why did she wish to apologize?

"Because, it was wrong of me to say such a thing. I can't have everyone thinking that I'm rude."

Hermione looked at Draco as he digested her simple answer. His eyes narrowed slightly and he picked up the mug to down the rest of his fire whiskey. Hermione stared on suspiciously as he stood up.

He dropped a few coins on the bar beside his empty pitcher and mug before turning to Hermione.

"The problem with you, Granger, is that you don't know when to stop thinking of everything so critically. In your process of over thinking, you focus on what others think of you. Don't do that. I won't accept your 'apology' because it is not an apology. Goodnight."

It was the second time in the same day that Draco Malfoy had left Hermione Granger alone in a restaurant due to her words.

She beckoned Tom forth once his gaze was in her range. "Could I get a fire whiskey please? No ice."

Xxxxx

Draco sat in his worn black armchair, his reading glasses abandoned on top of his head. He was thinking about a certain muggleborn witch. He absolutely could not stand her.

If he were asked who the smartest witch of the age was, he would not hesitate to say, "Hermione Granger". He admitted to himself, as a student long ago, that he would always get bested by her in classroom settings.

He could not take her know-it-all attitude, for not even she knew everything. She assumed a lot, regardless of the fact that her assumptions were correct for the most part.

Yet…her know-it-all attitude was also something he secretly admired about her. He had noticed the way her brown eyes lit up in satisfaction once she got out the first words of her 'apology'.

He needed to stop thinking of her. He had exams to study for. In truth, he hadn't stopped thinking of her the entire day from the moment they sat across from one another on the floor of the bookshop with their wands drawn.

In that instant, he had remembered her quick mind at the Battle of Hogwarts. He remembered being entranced by her actions as she overtook several Death Eaters at once, her beautifully curly hair blowing wildly in the wind.

Draco blinked rapidly to escape his vision of the past. He couldn't study anymore today. He rubbed his temples before setting his potion book on the coffee table. A sleeping draught was the remedy he required.

He needed to get that woman out of his head.

Xxxxx

The next day found Hermione sulking on her couch. Fire whiskey brought horrible truths to her dreams. These nightmares were so detrimental that she often called out of work for a week each time. This was exactly what she had done.

They wouldn't miss her in the office. After all, she was only required when runes needed to be deciphered.

She had been sitting on her couch for hours pondering her nightmare.

She had dreamt of her time in the war; one particular time. It was of the time at Malfoy Manor when she had been tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange. The agonizing memories of the past were enough to make her go insane but she didn't.

She didn't cry anymore, though. It was just the mental agony of it all that affected her these days. Her most recent nightmare didn't seem to focus so much on the torture as the others usually did.

It was the face of Draco Malfoy that was the focus. His face was stoic yet he would wince with each scream that she made. Why did he wince? Why did his tense body language portray anxiety and fear?

Harry had said that Malfoy was a changed man. What if he wasn't? What if he was the same person that he was before? She glanced at the watch she wore on her wrist.

His anxious features from her memories showed her that he was the same. Hermione's brain had jumpstarted from its depressive state. She jumped up and ran to her bedroom, startling her sleeping cat.

She dressed quickly in a crumpled sweater knitted by Mrs. Weasley and jeans. Throwing her cloak on, she grabbed her wand and apparated to the door of The Leaky Cauldron.

It was five-fifty. It had seemed that Malfoy usually came to the inn every evening. Hopefully, her assumption would be right. She walked into the bar and looked around. He wasn't there.

Well, she wasn't always right. Dejectedly, she walked over to the bar and hopped up onto a stool. "Firewhiskey, please. No ice. Thanks," she spoke when the barman greeted her.

Once her drink had been brought to her, she downed it and asked for a pitcher without noticing the presence behind her.

"Granger."

She jumped.

Xxxxx

Please review. Thanks.


	4. Chapter 4

I do not claim to own Harry Potter and this is written as a fan's appreciation for the series.

Thanks to you all. :]

Chapter Four

There they were. Shortly after startling her at the bar Malfoy had asked of Tom, "Could you take her pitcher over there please?" He referenced toward a shaded booth in the corner.

"Why did you do that?" asked the confused witch.

"We should talk," was all that the blond man uttered before he walked to the booth. Hermione watched him as he walked. His shoulders were tense and his footsteps light. He did not slouch. No doubt, the result from years of strict discipline.

Shaking her head, Hermione followed him to the booth. She sat down and locked her hands atop the table.

They were sitting across from one another and his grey eyes were staring at her intensely. It made her extremely uncomfortable and she had to restrain herself from squirming in her seat.

The pitcher was already there as well as a goblet full of firewhiskey. Her fingers twitched towards the drink.

"I never took you for a drinker, Granger."

She looked up with eyes wide, like a deer caught in headlights before closing her lids slightly at his smirk.

"I'm not."

"You've fooled me then. What?"

Hermione had looked up suddenly, a question burning at the tip of her tongue. She was bold to even think about asking. Therefore, she did.

"What were you thinking when you saw me get tortured five years ago?" Her big brown eyes shone brightly in remembrance.

Draco hurried to hide the shock that appeared in his own eyes at the question. He often had that memory of where he was standing, just standing, there watching his aunt do damage to the pretty girl who had always surpassed him in school.

He didn't enjoy that type of revenge. He remembered each scream and mutter of 'please' and 'no' as his aunt delivered spell after spell. And he had just stood there, not doing anything but winning the award of cowardice.

"I will not answer that," he spoke softly, slowly. He watched as the girl's eyes flashed in annoyance. Her hair was a mess, curls sticking out in every direction and her facial features saddened, most likely from her memories.

The air around the two was silent until, "Good. I was tired of talking anyway". Hermione reached for her goblet and nearly demolished the drink in one gulp.

"You should drink sparingly," spoke Malfoy, his memories once again in the back of his mind.

Hermione raised her wand to refill her goblet. She didn't normally drink as it caused her nightmare issue. But it always made her feel…better. Alcohol could help her cope especially since the emergence of the nightmares seemed to have worsened.

"I like being sloshed. Well, look at me. I'm becoming an alcoholic," she chuckled stupidly. The drinks were already taking effect due to her low tolerance.

"How do you expect to get home once you're…_sloshed_?" Malfoy questioned raising an eyebrow.

"I haven't the foggiest," Hermione said lightly, this time taking a sip from her cup. Malfoy just watched as the witch drank more. She was breaking. The woman who had assisted Harry Potter in the war was now sinking into the arms of lunacy at a table across from Draco Malfoy.

Her lightly freckled cheeks were pink and her eyes glittery with tears, of mirth or depression, Draco did not know.

When Hermione reached for the pitcher to refill her goblet, Draco tapped her hand with his wand.

"No more." He was a man of few words, it seemed.

Hermione frowned at the Slytherin. How dare he deny her refuge from those painful memories! She was about to protest when he set a formal looking coin sized bag of floo powder upon the table.

"Go home, Granger. I'll see you tomorrow," he said standing. He was about to take his leave when her small hand wrapped around his wrist.

"No, you will not leave first," the brown-haired witch stated standing as well. Her hand was still on his wrist, he noticed. He turned to her, a look of humor set on his features.

"Why not?"

"Because…I'm leaving first!" And she apparated, nevermind that she was still gripping Draco's wrist.

Once the effects of side-along apparition wore off, Draco smirked. Granger had apparated them both to her flat.

"Nice place you've got here, Granger."

And Draco could swear that the witch nearly had a heart attack.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Hermione exclaimed holding a hand to her forehead. She felt tired. She just wanted to lie down.

"You brought me here, silly witch," Draco drawled with a roll of his eyes. She was going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning. He almost felt sorry for her. She brought it upon herself.

"Could you leave, then?" she asked somberly. Draco watched her plop down on her couch. Hermione closed her eyes hoping that when she next opened them, the youngest Malfoy wouldn't be standing in the middle of her sitting room.

"I could…," Draco mumbled. He did not want to. For some reason, he was rooted to the spot. And his reluctance to leave was only enhanced when she opened those big brown doe eyes of hers. She blinked up at him slowly before frowning.

"Leave."

And he followed her command with a faint popping noise, unable to resist.

Xxxxx

Ronald Weasley was particularly hesitant about visiting Hermione's flat. According to Harry, who had heard through the grapevine, she was depressed. Hermione had been seen drinking at the Leaky Cauldron.

Hermione was definitely not a drinker.

It didn't seem to Ron that Harry's source was correct but when he'd flooed to Hermione's office, he found it to be impeccably clean. If she'd stepped into the office at all, books would be littered around the floor and the desk would be covered in parchment and empty inkwells.

According to Dean Thomas, one of Hermione's archaeological team members, she'd called in sick and was taking a week long vacation. He prayed that she wasn't depressed. He had no earthly idea how to handle such a thing.

He couldn't even help George with his sadness and chose to stay away from the joke shop while George poured all of his focus into manufacturing more trick candy.

The freckle-faced boy knocked tentatively on Hermione's front door. Of course, she was expecting him as she had multiple alarm wards around the building complex.

The door opened, not five seconds after he'd knocked. Harry Potter's source was a liar.

Hermione was standing there with a big smile on her face. Her hair was up on the top of her head in a messy bun. She was even wearing an apron.

"Um…Hello," Ron greeted, hesitantly.

"Hi! I've been going through the recipes that your mum gave me years ago. Hopefully, I'll be able to cook like her soon," Hermione said speculatively as she let him in. Ron's bright blue eyes widened.

Was she drunk now?

"Really? I thought you hated cooking?"

"I only hated it because I didn't know how to do it, I suppose. I'm learning though," she grinned and turned away towards her kitchen. The grin didn't quite reach her eyes.

"What are you--?" Ron was cut off because the witch had turned back around. There were tears. Merlin, there were _lots_ of tears running down her cheeks and he didn't know what to do in the slightest.

"I think I'm going nutters."

Xxxxx

"I'd like to know why it is that I am always disturbed whilst studying," Draco groaned slamming one of his potions textbook from Hogwarts closed. He had decided to go back to the basics to make sure that he'd make no mistakes when furthering his knowledge.

Blaise Zabini dusted the soot off of his clothes as he climbed out of the fireplace. Draco didn't allow apparition into his flat unless it was he, himself and he only had his floo open to certain wizards and locations.

"Stop studying and you won't be disturbed," the Italian wizard rebutted. Blaise walked over to the large window and stared outside.

"Potter tells me that you saw Granger home last night," Blaise cocked his head in his best friend's direction.

Draco's grey eyes flashed quickly and met Blaise's calm dark ones. Potter was a nuisance. He'd told the boy-who-lived to keep quiet about him talking to Granger. Scar-face was probably just trying to get him back.

"Potter doesn't know when to shut up. Granger got drunk off of her arse and she accidentally apparated us both to her flat. Stupid girl. Anyhow, what do you want?" Draco explained.

He placed his book back upon his desk before walking over to his bookshelf.

"I was bored. How drunk did she get?" Blaise was as annoying as he was suave.

The blond sighed and abandoned all hope of finding another potion book to study.

He sat back at his desk and propped his head up with his elbow as leverage. If he revisited last night then there'd be no coming back. He'd have those eyes in his head for the rest of his life.

"She got 'sloshed'." Draco's lips quirked at the memory, "Granger is…losing it. She's going batty."

"Much like you did?" Blaise asked, his hand to his chin in a thinking position. Draco had come a long way from those days of misery.

"I suppose so. She's breaking and I'm going to—No, I _need_ to figure out why."

Xxxxx

PLEASE review. Thanks. :]


	5. Chapter 5

I do not claim to own Harry Potter and this is written as a fan's appreciation for the series.

Thanks to you all. :]

Chapter 5

Harry was pissed. He had just demoted Lavendar Brown back to the secretary position because it had turned out that she wasn't an adequate substitute for his partner. So here he was again; missing time out of his growing son's life.

Lavendar had failed to stamp important documents accordingly and he was wasting his evening correcting them.

There was a knock on his office door. Harry looked up to see who was interrupting him and scowled, nearly growling. He had pulled down the window shade to his door window to avoid his employees.

"Come in," he bit out.

"Potter, may I have a word?" It was Blaise Zabini. It had been well over a month since he'd last seen the man.

"Hello, Zabini. What do you want?" Despite his tone, Harry grinned. Blaise was a supplier for his company. He manufactured the _Lemon Spinner _brooms that Harry's auror business used for training.

Luckily for Blaise, being the head of his company, didn't mean that he had to be at work all of the time. Lucky bug.

"Calm down, Scarred Wonder. It has come to my attention that Ms. Granger is cracking, to be blunt," Blaise started. He sat down into the guest chair in front of Potter's desk and crossed his legs.

"Yeah. I heard from Malfoy. What I don't understand is…if she _is_ 'cracking', why now? Why did she wait so many years to do so?" Harry Potter said dropping the documents he held in his hands onto the desk with a loud flop.

He lifted his wand and raised the documents. The look on his face was so feral that Blaise almost believed that Potter was going to incinerate the many pieces of parchment. Instead, though, Harry sent them zooming out of the office door and onto Lavendar's desk.

"Do them right this time!" he yelled before slamming the door to his office. He looked back to Blaise who had a small smile upon his face, and waved his hand as if to say, "Go on."

"The reason why she waited so long _is_ the reason that she's going insane. She's kept all of what happened bottled up. I mean, even you've had therapy sessions."

"You're right. There's an underlying reason as to why you've brought this up. Get to the point," Harry said thoughtfully.

"You know me well, Potter. If you recall, Draco was in the same boat. He would've been dead, had I not reentered the country. He's still an idiot trapped within his own head but he's not going batty anymore…oh shut up," Blaise smirked at Harry's snort, "She's been bearing her soul to the poor boy. I think that it's good for her. I believe that they both need this."

Blaise stood up to take his leave.

"How the hell am I going to make them all cozy with each other?" Harry asked, quizzically, "I mean, they do despise of each other."

"Draco does not despise of her. He actually likes the fact that she's talking to him. Gives the nut something to look forward to. Don't tell her that though. Just find some way to persuade her to keep talking to him."

"All right, then."

Harry Potter knew exactly what he was going to do. And the git had it coming.

Xxxxx

Draco had just taken one of the required potions exams for the position he was after at the Ministry. The results would be sent by owl in two weeks time. He found that the exam was not too difficult as he had actually learned most of the information when he was still at Hogwarts.

He was now sitting at a small café in Muggle London. Potter had flooed him approximately ten minutes before he was getting ready to apparate to the Ministry and told him to be there.

Apparently, Granger was going to stop there after an evening out with Ginny Potter nee Weasley and her son. Potter mentioned that Granger talking to him about her issues would be therapeutic according to Blaise Zabini. The man was a bloody counselor, it seemed.

Draco had no earthly idea when the women would arrive. According to Potter, they'd be there an hour after his exam was scheduled to end. A half hour had passed. The blond man considered it quite a feat that he had went through with completing a Muggle transaction with Muggle money for heavens sake.

He'd even bothered to dress Muggle-like, wearing a dark, collared button-up shirt and blue jeans. Over his Muggle clothing, he had worn a coat. Said coat was presently on the back of his chair.

So there he was sipping from a small cup of tea. It was a big step from those large mugs of Firewhiskey at the Leaky Cauldron. He still did not have a clue as to why he was so captivated by the Muggleborn witch.

He heard the women before he saw them. Ginevra was ranting about something. Draco could recognize her voice anywhere due to the fact that Potter's wife was a constant thorn in his side the past couple of years.

He turned slowly in his chair and watched as Granger reached forward to open the door of the café. She was dressed for the weather; a nice knit hat atop her mass of brown hair and a scarf tucked into her winter coat.

Draco found himself grinning slightly at the pink of her cheeks and nose. As soon as he realized it, he stopped.

The ladies hadn't noticed him yet.

Hermione had the strangest feeling that she was being watched once she stepped into the café that she and Ginny frequented. She glanced up at the counter quickly to be sure that it wasn't one of the baristas. It wasn't.

She found herself glancing around full circle and her large brown eyes narrowed. Draco Malfoy was sitting there in a Muggle coffee shop staring at her intensely. His head was propped up with his arm. Apparently Ginny had noticed him too because she had stopped her rant regarding Ron's inability to comfort.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Hermione spoke out of the side of her mouth.

"No clue. Maybe you should talk with him," Ginny responded. Oh, but she did have a clue. After all, Harry Potter knew better than to keep secrets from his wife.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do. Harry told me a few things about that arse," Hermione scoffed.

Ginny suppressed a grin, "Watch your language, Miss Hermione. James is old enough to imitate."

Hermione mumble her apology and told Ginny to order her usual before she stepped over to Malfoy's table.

Instantly Draco's posture straightened.

"Hello Granger."

"Harry told me what you did, you git."

Draco Malfoy looked taken aback. What did he do to Potter…lately? His eyes went up in thought. He couldn't think of a thing.

"What in the world are you speaking of?"

The witch's eyes narrowed, "Oh, you know what I'm talking about. How dare you sabotage Harry's business?"

And to this Draco laughed. He laughed a great, genuine laugh that Hermione hadn't ever seen on his face before. Hermione found her facial features relaxing.

"Is that what he told you? I didn't sabotage his business," Draco smirked, "I was his partner and apparently he can't get over the fact that I left."

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I apologize for the lateness of this. Time is next to no. PLEASE REVIEW. They help me write when I have extra time.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

For a moment Hermione was a fish out of water, metaphorically speaking. She made sure to avoid Draco Malfoy's smirking face with her eyes.

"He's your best friend and you didn't even know who his business partner was?" Draco continued to smirk at the girl. She recovered from her shock well enough for the frown lines to reappear on her face from her earlier scowl.

"Oh, shut it! We rarely discuss our business affairs. But he did mention that you were working towards ruining his business in letters," the witch bit out.

"As he often told me in person," Draco Malfoy sarcastically remarked with a slight gesture of his hand. And again they sat staring at each other, she with a glare and he with that damn smirking grin.

They sat there in silence for what seemed to be hours before she mumbled an apology.

"It's all fine, Dear Granger. No worries," Draco grinned, "Do you care for anything to eat? I can't offer you firewhiskey as we're in Muggle territory but they do know a few things about making food."

At first the witch was surprised at the offer. Draco Malfoy, offering Hermione Granger a meal? Though after properly processing his reference to her drunken stupidity, she wasn't so pleased.

"No thanks! Ginny's taking care of it. I'd apologize for the other night but…I'm not going to," Hermione huffed. She made to get up but Draco grabbed her arm and she stilled.

"Sorry. It was just a bit of light humor. Calm down." Secretly Malfoy liked seeing her riled up. It seemed that electricity was running rampant through her body causing her hair to spark and make crackling sounds of static.

Once again they sat across from each other in silence, neither knowing what to say just in case they were to set the other off accidentally until the barista walked over with their lunch. They had both ordered soup.

Hermione turned around to look for Ginny and saw that she was already seated with her lunch and was coaxing little James to try some. Apparently Ginny had told the barista to bring Hermione's lunch to her.

"How often do you ladies come here?" Draco questioned before taking a spoonful of his soup.

Hermione sighed. He was being kind enough to have civil conversation so she may as well too.

"Well prior to taking the assignment in Africa, we used to visit here at least once a week. Hermione smiled in remembrance and Draco's mind instantly categorized that smile in the corner of his mind he had recently labeled 'Grangerisms'.

"Why is it that you came over to verbally abuse me in the first place? Potter can take care of himself and if he can't then his wife definitely can."

The smart witch shook her head in annoyance and started to eat her soup. Malfoy was well within his rights to ask her that yet she couldn't pinpoint why Harry Potter had told her these things about Malfoy 'destroying what he had worked hard for' in order to rile her up.

"Don't worry about it. Why is it that you quit the partnership?" She strayed due to curiosity.

Potter hadn't even asked him that. To say that Draco was taken aback was an understatement.

"You're actually the only person to ask me why I made that decision. Everyone else just assumed that I was lazy or that I really didn't need to work in the first place with my family's fortune," Draco responded honestly his smirk disappearing and his eyes studying the carrot floating in his soup.

"Haven't you learned already, Malfoy, that I'm not everyone else."

Draco looked up expecting to see her smirking only to see a grim smile on the girl's face.

Oh, he'd noticed that she wasn't like everyone else, ever since she hit him back in their third year of Hogwarts. No one else would have even dared but her two best friends yet they'd been busy holding her back.

And here she was, this smart, frizzy haired, girl of Muggle blood who was the only person in Hogwarts who dared to hit him.

That was when he had started to admire her.

"As it is Granger, the Potion's Deciphering Master at the Ministry is retiring in roughly eight months," Draco paused to take a sip of his drink.

"I've heard as much," nodded the witch, with keen interest.

"Of course. You _do_ work in the Ministry. Anyhow, I am hoping to relieve him of his job. That is why I ceased my partnership with Potter. I've been studying and taking exams ever since. With all this rubbish about me sabotaging the business, I'm beginning to think that Potter misses me." And the smirk had was once again on his face.

"He is having a bit of trouble finding a new partner though. You left him in a bit of a rut, I've gathered."

It was true. Harry Potter's Auror department had increased the number of trainees that they'd usually accepted which meant an influx of paperwork and more training equipment.

"I warned him a month prior to leaving that he'd need to find a new partner. He must have thought me to be joking," Draco defended himself, with a quirk of a brow.

"Surely you understand that a month is not an adequate amount of time to find a partner. You, yourself said that you have to study eight months in advance to get the Potion's position!" Granger exclaimed pointedly.

Draco grinned and held up his hands in surrender. "I suppose you're right. Now Dear Granger, would you like to join me for a Firewhiskey later this evening?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I'd like to apologize for this being incredibly late and short. I'm working two jobs and I'm in school…art school, mind you, so you know that takes up a lot of time. Anywho, hope you enjoyed!

Please leave me reviews. They'll drive my muse.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hermione tossed her purse onto her small dining table in annoyance. The nerve of that man! How dare he even—what a nuisance!

She was upset that he knew of her weakness. It unnerved her that he had seen her at her most vulnerable. She really needed to get a hold of herself which meant that she'd need to stay away from The Leaky Cauldron with all of her might.

As soon as Draco had made his request in that small cafe, she had stood up and walked over to Ginny and baby James to inform her friend that she was leaving to go home.

There she was. At home. With nothing to do. She attempted to review her latest paperwork that she'd already completed but she couldn't focus. Unfortunately she kept finding herself thinking of the war.

It ate at her that the majority of those who had fought at Hogwarts were those who had yet to even see their seventh year. It made her heart ache horribly that those people, those children-herself included- were no long children after the defeat of Voldemort.

She was losing it. She was prompted by Harry after the war to seek help with his counselor but she'd declined. She was Hermione Granger! She didn't need therapy.

Hermione shook her head in remembrance. Her pride had indeed cost her a lot of sleep over the years. Maybe a therapist wouldn't be such a bad idea. Scratch that notion; she was too busy for such a thing.

She scoffed. That was the best excuse that she could come up with for herself and she even found it to be weak.

She lied down on her couch, Crookshanks nowhere to be found, and drifted to sleep.

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"It's shocking how much she intrigues you."

Draco shifted his grey eyes toward Blaise and lifted an eyebrow. He sat across from Blaise, a chess set between them. Whilst he waited for his exam results, Draco had decided to take a small break from studying.

"Why do you say that?" he retorted with a scowl. Blaise had already won the game so there was no point in him even making a move.

The darker-skinned boy grinned in accomplishment. He put both hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair as he watched his queen destroy the last of Draco's men.

"You can't get her out of your head. It doesn't take Legilimens to figure that out. You're seeing her as your equal," Blaise commented waving his hand. The broken chess pieces were as good as new and placed in the right positions on the board.

"My equal?"

"Yes. You're starting to notice the similarities between the two of you and funnily enough your depression hasn't been as apparent lately, Draco. I find that it's absolutely hilarious that the one witch that you hated, or dare I say, admired-because we all know how much worse admiration is versus hate- is the person causing this."

Draco sighed. He wouldn't even deny that Blaise was right. He'd known the man since they were small children and while it was a bit difficult to read Blaise, Blaise could read him like a book.

He hadn't been feeling as somber as usual. Hell, he hadn't even touched a mug of firewhiskey since Granger's drunken incident. That had been a week ago.

"It's like you've role-reversed!" Blaise exclaimed slapping his hand onto his knee. Again Draco sighed. Blaise was starting to become bothersome with his strange excitement.

Hoping to change the topic of their conversation, Draco asked ever so slyly, "How is Pansy?"

Blaise scoffed loudly, first because of Draco's obvious subject shift and secondly because of the name he had uttered.

"That beast of a woman has gone and requested my family estate. My dunderhead of a lawyer thinks that I should just let her have it so that we won't have to go through yet another court case. He's a mad man. That estate has been in my family for centuries!"

Divorce was a nasty creature but Pansy Zabini née Parkinson and soon to be ex-wife of Blaise was an even nastier one.

"I'm positive that they would never allow her the rights to your family estate so I wouldn't worry, mate. Plus the cow has her own estate. Why would she need two?" Draco paused to roll his eyes, "Of course, she is Pansy. Greed."

"Exactly. I'm not worried. I'm just wondering what she'll try for next. All in due time. What is it that has you hooked on Hermione Granger?"

"Why are you SO curious about Granger in relation to myself?" Draco said a bit snappishly.

"Just as you said. Good old fashioned curiosity and let the record state that I am not a cat."

Draco stood up from his chair and walked over to his desk in thought.

"To begin with, I am not hooked on Granger. I wish to know what makes her tick. Why is she always so worried yet inquisitive at the same time? Why is she cracking now of all times…?" Draco trailed off.

His best friend looked him over. The blond man was leaning against his desk with his arms crossed, his normal state of relaxation when he was a child. It seemed to Blaise that Draco was involuntarily and subconsciously gaining more than what he had hoped for in Hermione Granger. He was starting to like the witch.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ronald Weasley wasn't the sharpest tool in the box but he wasn't dumb either. Luna Lovegood was influencing his nephew in that strange whimsical way of hers and he was going to find a way to stop it.

Ginny had asked him, since it was his day free from the joke shop, if he wouldn't mind watching James. At first, he shuddered at the idea of watching the little tyke especially since James was known to have magically odd things happen in his presence.

But at Ron's hesitance, Ginny had mentioned the option of Luna being the sitter and Ron quickly and loudly offered his help.

This fine day James was sitting on the floor with several toys and facing Ron who was sitting on the Potters' overstuffed couch. Deep in thought, Ron had his chin resting on his hands while his elbows were propped on his knees.

James had abandoned his toys and had taken to staring up at Ron with a strange look upon his small face.

"You had better not be seeing nargles, kid," he said through clenched teeth. He swiped the air around his head, just in case. Personally he had no problems with Luna but this kid was starting to act just as strange as the blonde woman and Ron couldn't have that.

There was a loud tapping on the window which caused Ron to jump. He turned toward the sound and saw two large golden eyes of an owl peering back. There was a letter attached to the bird's leg.

Baby James giggled in excitement at the strange creature flapping its wings outside his house as Ron got up to retrieve the message. He tipped the bird and closed the window.

It was addressed to himself in very neat writing. Opening the letter, he smirked. It was from Draco Malfoy.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So many hits, so little reviews. Oh well. Here's another chapter. Positive feedback is a plus, please. It only takes a couple of seconds. Anyhow, enjoy!


	8. Chapter 8

She was baking and it smelled absolutely delicious.

Draco stood outside of the door, his hand raised tentatively to knock. He had been standing outside of that door for several minutes, wondering if he should even bother.

It had taken five owls and one floo to convince Ronald Weasley to allow him the witch's address. Potter wasn't available to ask and he had no way to get in touch with the Lovegood girl.

Draco heard a shuffle behind him and turned his head slowly, his hand instinctively twitching toward his wand. He shifted his eyes toward the sound only to notice a small older woman peeping out of a door several feet away.

Shaking his head slowly, the smirking man finally knocked on Granger's door.

It didn't take long for the apron-clad witch to open her door, a smile on her face, and flour on her cheek.

"You?" Hermione gasped in amazement. Malfoy was the last person she expected to see at her door.

"Me."

"What are you doing here?"

"I found that I had nothing better to do, Dear Granger. I'm still waiting for my exam results and Blaise is away doing Ministry business. Potter's not returning my owls so I can not bother him. I am rather bored so I thought, why not Granger?"

Draco grinned lightly. She was breathtaking. Her hair was pulled back messily and her cheeks were pink, aside from the flour, as if she had been in a hot kitchen all day. Judging by her appearance, he wasn't too far from the mark.

Beautiful, but sad. Her eyes still had that determined glint in them that he was used to seeing yet those big brown eyes were glossy as if she had tears to shed.

"Come in. Of course, you'd like to bother me. Why not?" Granger mumbled pulling his arm by the sleeve and quickly shutting the door. He reckoned that she had seen the nosy neighbor. She released him and started to walk towards what he guessed was the kitchen.

Draco removed his jacket, set it on the edge of the couch, and followed her. It was always rather comforting to sit in a kitchen while a lady baked. It wasn't that he was sexist or anything. When he was a child, his mother always baked in the Muggle way and he had always sat at the counter and watched. She refused to always let the house elves work.

Hermione was mixing dough. Bread dough by the looks of the baking pans that she had set out. He counted about five or so pies on the window seal cooling. They made the kitchen seem even more homely than it already was. The walls were painted a rustic orange, not unlike autumn and the cabinets were of a dark mahogany. It was so...Granger.

Draco pulled out a chair for himself and sat down, his focus on the brown-haired woman. This appeared to be an outlet for her.

"How have you been?" Draco started, clearing his throat.

"Shall I answer that honestly or shall I answer that as if we're having pleasant conversation?" Hermione questioned looking up at him with a sideways glance her hands paused atop the ball of dough in the large mixing bowl.

"However you wish," the man stated, all playfulness aside.

"Well, then, I think I'm losing it. I admit it."

Draco was surprised at the route that she'd taken with this conversation. He had never expected her to actually mention the fact that she was going batty.

"Why do you think so?"

Hermione looked down at the dough and started to divide it to place into the pans. It took a full minute and a half before she answered.

"The war is plaguing my every thought. I had to put in vacation time at the Ministry because I can't focus at work. Generally, the memories only seriously affect me when I'm drinking but lately...lately I can't rid myself of them."

Her eyes were swimming with tears as she turned towards the sink with the empty bowl. Draco stood up and reached a hand to grab her shoulder, but he pulled back. Comforting others was…different for him. A foreign concept.

"Uh...Granger, turn around."

Hermione turned around, her face red and covered in tears.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed reaching her now clean hands up to wipe her face clear of her messy hair and tears.

"Just cry. Don't let it continue to build. That's why it's hitting you so hard now," Draco spoke softly, knowing that she was listening. He thought back to his 'rehabilitation' and how much he'd cried tearless, agony-filled sobs due to Voldemort's insanity.

He was knocked breathless when Granger threw her arms around his waist, her sobs becoming louder. Every initial instinct he had told him to push her away, which is why is arms flew up in alarm a second too late, but he couldn't. Wouldn't.

He slowly guided her to her couch and had her sit down. He sat beside her, just barely missing her cat. The orange ball of fluff jumped off of the couch in aggravation and disappeared.

He heard a tearful chuckle and glanced over at Granger. A wanton smile was settled on her tear streaked face.

"What is it about the war that you've been stuck on Granger?" he questioned. He would make her talk. If she didn't, it would just consume her and Potter would eventually have to visit his favorite Muggleborn in an asylum. Oh, and he'd be endlessly curious.

Hermione looked down at her hands as she clasped them and his fingers twitched, wanting to join them.

"Torture, screams of agony, and more recently…you."

Draco was sure his face had taken on a look of surprise, which was a rarity. What on earth did he have to do with her going crazy?

"You are going loopy in there. Me?" he scoffed.

The witch frowned deeply, her eyes still downcast. She was chewing on her bottom lip in thought.

"Yes, you. Because I was tortured in your family home! Right in front of you, I might add," Hermione whispered fiercely, "By your crazy aunt!"

Draco pinched the bridge of his nose, not in irritation but due to remembrance. He hated that memory. It was one of the memories that made him want to die prior to Blaise returning. Though she was Muggleborn and he was told that he should hate her, he would never wish something like that upon someone.

"I try not to remember," he finally spoke, "I just stood there. I did exactly what I was told and it was incredibly wrong of me to do so."

"If you had reveled in me being attacked then you wouldn't have avoided my eyes back then. You would have joined your aunt…and you would have wanted to gaze into my eyes as life started to leave me. I know that you aren't cruel, Draco."

She was too kind. Cowardice was cruelty. He had wanted the easy way out. Luckily his best friend was there to pull him up. Granger was too proud to have Potter and Weasley aid her which is why the safety pins and bandages she had used to secure her mentality were starting to fly off.

Hermione was watching him. His head was bowed and his eyes clenched shut.

"You're so stupid."

Draco opened his eyes and blinked rapidly.

"Pardon?"

Hermione stood up quite fast and placed her hands on her hips.

"You will not sit there and blame yourself for something you could do nothing against. Now, get up, and go get changed into nicer clothes. You're coming to Harry's with me."

When he stood, he towered over her by about a head and frowned in confusion. He hadn't seen Potter since he'd relieved himself of his partnership with the famous boy. And what was with the mood changes?

"First of all Granger, we were having a serious conversation. You're just as bad as Blaise with the random conversation switches. Secondly, what clothing could be nicer than what I'm already wearing? Thirdly, Potter's?" Draco exclaimed leaning towards her in exasperation.

"Oh, whatever! Harry's having a small get together to celebrate the fact that he got a new partner and you're coming. You said you were bored and now there's no getting out of it."

Hermione smirked as he threw his arms in the air dramatically and grabbed his jacket. She followed him to the door where he now stood in the open doorway. He turned to her.

All traces of sadness had receded for now and he threw a small grin her way.

"I'll be back in an hour. And you had better be dressed well t—." Draco was cut off by Hermione reaching up on the tips of her toes and planting a kiss upon his cheek.

"Thanks," she had whispered.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

More interaction. I probably won't add another chapter until I get a few more reviews. Feedback is just as important as the story, sometimes…It jumpstarts motivation (it's true, folks).

Thanks. :] Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"This is ridiculous."

"Stop complaining."

"It's ugly quite like those beaver teeth of yours back-".

"Shut up. It is not ugly... It is merely unique...".

Draco scoffed loudly and obnoxiously at one of the bread loaves that Hermione had baked. It was lumpy, dark brown in some spots and gooey in others.

After Draco had left an hour ago, Hermione had placed the pans of bread into the oven whilst she got dressed but apparently her dough mixture was faulty.

"I can't bear to look at it any longer." The youngest Malfoy grabbed the loaf and preceded to dump it into Granger's garbage bin.

"Thanks a lot, you jerk."

"My pleasure. Now, I suppose you look acceptable," said Draco as he looked down his nose at Hermione's simple yellow dress and white knitted cardigan. In truth, she looked great. Her hair hung over one shoulder in great, wild curls. Her overall demeanor seemed brighter.

She shot him a look of annoyance and grabbed her cloak and purse from the back of a dining chair. It was time to leave.

"Wait, Granger. You're missing something," spoke the blond-haired man walking over to the window sill. She frowned. What now?

Draco took a hold of one of the pies that she had made earlier.

"It is of good manners to bring a gift of sorts, silly witch. Though Potter thoroughly annoys me, I am a man of decent mannerisms. The pie is acceptable on the outside though let's hope that your culinary 'expertise' doesn't kill him," Draco motioned to the pie with his free hand, his usual smirk present.

"Oh dear. How rude of me?" Hermione said haughtily with a roll of her eyes. She removed her wand from her purse and made a box appear over the pie. And then, she apparated.

Soon after arriving outside of the Potters', Hermione heard a pop behind her which signified Draco's arrival. She turned to him with her index finger raised in warning.

"Be nice."

"Sure."

Hermione raised her eyebrows suspiciously at the look of faux-sincerity on Draco's face. He was looking upward towards the sky with a small smirk. She was sure that his hands would have been clasped behind his back had he not been holding the pie.

"Granger, I won't do anything improper to disturb this last minute celebration. Best be calm so that your friends won't commit you."

"Shut up."

Draco reached up and knocked on the small cottage's door. Harry had the house built up in Godric's Hollow, right next to the remains of his parent's old house though many did not know it. He had wards put up in order to keep his family business away from the press.

Draco had only visited three times and that was only for business when he and Potter would be sitting on that overstuffed sofa with papers everywhere due to some businesses throwing last minute decisions their way.

"Oh for goodness sake!" Hermione huffed pushing past Draco and grabbing the doorknob, "I have my own key and I doubt that it's locked if they're expecting people."

"Well, I'm not exactly Potter's best friend, Dear Granger."

He followed Hermione into the house, closing the door behind him with his foot. He enjoyed this bickering between them.

"And you brought that upon yourself."

"Pardon?" Malfoy raised an eyebrow.

"You've been jealous of Harry since he refused your friendship way back in first year," retorted Hermione with a small smile.

They faced each other, her hands on her hips.

"Not jealous. I just wanted to take everything that he had because I was spoiled. And at the time, I certainly didn't want you and that weasel. That's it. Try again." Draco grew quiet at the realization of what he had said and looked away.

Hermione frowned in defiance. That man! She opened her mouth to respond when someone beat her to it.

"It _is_ your fault that I'm still alive," came Potter's sarcastic voice. Draco rolled his eyes and held out the pie. Harry took the pie and looked it over with a smile.

"No, it's my mother's fault. If only she was aware that I was alive. I would've been rid of you, but alas..." Draco grinned sardonically.

"Oh, ha ha. Everyone's in the dining room. Help yourself to any of the food."

Hermione frowned at how well the two got along as she followed them to the dining room. It was extremely strange considering how everything had been so tense during the war between them. Times were changing.

"Hi, Hermione," came various voices of people she hadn't seen in years. She smiled kindly and glanced around the room to find Ginny.

She spotted her near the table munching on cubed melon and walked right over.

"Where's James?" questioned Hermione. Since arriving back, Hermione hadn't once seen Ginny without the toddler.

"My mum's keeping him. I swear! That woman was just complaining to Harry and I last Sunday that she didn't have enough grandchildren! I'm pretty sure that she thinks we're here procreating right now even though we told her about the celebration!" exclaimed Ginny placing her hands on her hips much like Molly was known to do.

Hermione smiled and shook her head.

"I should join you all next Sunday, then. I haven't seen your mother in Merlin knows how long."

"She'd like that. And bring that date of yours."

The frizzy-haired witch stared at Ginny in complete bewilderment. What was she talking about?

"Date?"

"Draco Malfoy. Mum's always enjoyed his charm when running into him at the market," Grinny grinned mischievously.

"He's not my date, Gin. He was bored, apparently, so he visited my flat for reasons beyond me and I made him join me," Hermione explained.

She knew that it was in vain, because a mental playback of her words made it sound exactly as Ginny had assumed.

"So _you_ asked him. I thought I'd never see the day."

Hermione snorted loudly at the other witch and grabbed a flute of wine from the table.

Ginny was, of course, well aware that Zabini and her husband had plans for Draco and Hermione's state of mind but she was intent on working with the romantic tension between the two.

She had no source in Zabini because the git kept his mouth shut about anything Malfoy may have shared regarding Hermione and Harry was useless because he hadn't gotten any new information.

Hermione was on her second flute of wine.

"I have an inquiry, Gin. What would Malfoy bother with in the market? Doesn't he have house-elves for that sort of thing?"

Ginny looked into her friend's curious eyes. No, Hermione could never hide the look of curiosity in her eyes whenever it appeared. Aha!

"Draco lives a very humble life these days. His mother's out of the country so his family home is collecting dust. He has his own flat, though rather large, but I'd say that's modest for him. This means that the house-elves are gone but Draco contracted them to work at Hogwarts so that they wouldn't be out of their jobs. He goes to the market for himself every week."

Ginny was full of gossip. And at the moment, Hermione couldn't be any more grateful.

She was going to learn about Draco Malfoy's ups and downs with the aid of another flute of wine.

Things should get interesting quite soon, I'd imagine.

Thank you all for the reviews. They really did inspire me to write more.

Continue to motivate me. :]

Thank you all once more.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Blaise Zabini was Harry's new partner. He had decided to merge his broomstick company with Potter's auror business and supply the brooms in other countries. He would still assist in the archaeological excavations when he was needed but for the most part, he was one of the Ministry's high ranking auror trainers. A man of many talents indeed.

Hermione bitterly tipped back her head and downed half of the flute in her hand in a jealous surrender. Blaise was secure in everything he did with his life. Hell, even his divorce was going his way.

"Gin...how long has she been like this?" questioned Harry as he gestured to Hermione who was, at the moment, sitting in the corner drinking her fifth flute of wine. Ginny had been keeping an eye on the brown-haired witch all night.

She had watched as Hermione avoided everyone at the gathering with only her wine flutes to keep her company. It was tragic. It was sad.

All thoughts to attempt to get Hermione and Draco together flew right from her mind, the moment that Hermione started her third glass of wine.

Ginny grabbed her husband's hand and squeezed. What could they do for her? She really was falling.

"Since she started drinking. I really wish that I knew what triggered this," Ginny spoke, her voice in a whisper. No one else needed to know what was happening. They hadn't yet witnessed one of Hermione's episodes firsthand.

Harry glanced around the room as if he were searching for something...or someone. Luna was standing near the doorway chatting with Blaise as her fiance, Neville, snored lightly on the overstuffed couch.

Ron was still seated at the table his mouth holding more chicken than his hands, if possible, while various others stared at his barbaric dinner mannerisms.

But...where was he? Harry finally caught the back of his blond head. He was speaking with George Weasley, most likely regarding potions of sorts that George needed information on for the joke shop. Typical.

Giving his wife's hand a reassuring squeeze, he walked over to the two men.

"Malfoy, may I have a word please?"

George grinned deviously before saluting Malfoy and walking over to the table to join Ron.

"Potter?"

"Take her home," were the only words that Harry needed to say before Draco's head shot up, his eyes immediately finding Hermione in the corner.

Draco went over to join her and grabbed her seventh flute before she was able to tip it down.

"Ferret? What are you doing?" came the slurred words of the drunken woman.

"Granger, let's get you home," Draco spoke quietly, not wanting the other guests to realize the situation. With Parvati Patil here, they did not need any of this to be in the Prophet.

"I don't want—".

"Granger, get up. We're leaving." Draco reached over and grabbed her arm, successfully pulling her up. She teetered forward and would have fallen had he not grabbed onto her other arm in time.

Hermione's eyes were glossy, tears threatening to spill. He pulled her stumbling form through the doorway and into the living room. Whilst he grabbed their belongings, Hermione stood stock-still, tears slowly descending, her hands clasped. But wait...Neville was sleeping, his head nodding back and forth and a flute of wine, still full, in his hand.

She went for it but was stopped by Draco's body stepping between the offending beverage and herself. Her nose was being tickled by his robes so she looked up.

His grey eyes were hard like slates and when he spoke his tone was clipped, "I'm taking you home right now. Don't be difficult."

He pulled her to the fireplace and prepared for floo travel.

* * *

"I was enjoying...Why did you make me leave?"

Hermione threw her purse onto the floor haphazardly and slipped off her cloak. It dropped to the floor as well.

"Granger, you're drunk. I doubt that you would have enjoyed it much if you were on the cover of The Daily Prophet with loads of wine glasses surrounding you. Parvati Patil was at Potter's."

"I don't much care who was there! The Prophet can arse my kiss!" Hermione exclaimed adamantly, swaying a bit.

A small smile made itself onto Draco's face briefly at Granger's slip of the tongue.

"Whatever that means. Now, let's get you safely into your bed, so that Potter doesn't have my head on a platter for not making sure you were all tucked in," spoke the blond sarcastically. He lightly touched the small of her back and began to guide her in what he hoped was the direction of her bedroom.

Of course his sense of direction was correct. He was a Malfoy afterall.

"I hate you. I hate Harry. I hate d-," Hermione trailed off as she plopped down on the edge of her navy duvet-covered bed.

"Wonderful, Granger. Wonderful," Draco muttered. He kneeled down to help her remove her shoes.

"Just being...honest. You couldn't even allow me to enjoy my last flute or two of wine and now I'm being forced to go to sleep like some child. Therefore, I do hate you Draco Malfoy."

Draco stood and could only shake his head as Granger crawled towards the head of her bed and scooted beneath the duvet.

"As you've said, Dear Granger." Draco turned to make his leave when Granger spoke up.

"I don't want to be alone. The memories..."

His eyes turned towards the drunken witch, disbelieving. Surely she didn't mean for him to stay with her.

"I don't think that you really wish for me to stay," Draco said hurriedly, as if he couldn't wait to leave yet his own motor functions betrayed him. His hands were removing his cloak and his right foot was pushing the shoe from his left foot and vise-verse.

"I don't really hate you. Please stay." Her voice sounded meek, not as strong as it was once before.

He sat on the edge of the bed, on the side that Hermione was facing and looked down at her. Her window was open, allowing in chilled air and a stream of moonlight which allowed him to see that her cheeks were wet with fresh tears. Her brown eyes were looking up at him, begging.

"All right. I won't leave. I expect we have much to talk about when the morning arrives."

* * *

She was comfortably warm even though she could feel the chill of the morning air. Hermione, still half asleep, turned and buried her face into the pillow of warmth surrounding her.

She felt the warmth tighten it's hold on her and pull her closer causing her eyes to shoot open. Realization dawned on the smart witch at the sudden headache she got. She had gotten drunk last night, totally sloshed. And Draco Malfoy had brought her home and left. Only, he didn't leave...at her request.

But what the hell was he doing in her bed? They were both fully clothed so obviously nothing had occurred. She just remembered crying herself to sleep.

"You need to stop drinking," came the drowsy voice of Draco Malfoy who had apparently been awake for quite some time.

Hermione didn't dare look up due to the extreme embarrassment she felt at the moment. His arm was still around her which made her a bit nervous. Perhaps, she could continue to feign sleep. Hermione closed her eyes.

"I know that you're awake. You're not getting away without us speaking about yesterday's events. You may as well speak up now," came Malfoy's knowing voice.

This was incredibly awkward, him in her bed with his arm still around her. Yes, it was awkward, yet oddly...nice.

"What do you expect me to say?"

Finally, that offending arm released her and she could feel the man sit up on the bed. She could feel his eyes on her. Hermione took a deep breath and she sat up as well.

The sight in front of her was breathtaking. Draco Malfoy sat in front of her, his silver eyes narrowed from the sunlight and his blond hair mussed upon the top of his head due to sleep.

"From this day forward, Granger, I won't allow you to drown your problems in alcohol. Even if that means that I'll have to move you into my own flat," Draco said in that bored tone of his.

Hermione stared at him, shocked and appalled.

"You have no right-."

He interrupted, "And that's where you're wrong. You keep coming to me with your problems, woman. It only makes sense that I rid you of these stupid issues so that you'll leave me alone."

He truly didn't wish for her to leave him be however, this drinking needed to end. She needed to work her way through those memories that plagued her.

"It's hardly my fault that you keep jumping into my life. So what if I drink. Don't be around me when I do."

Hermione stood up in immediate anger, her cheeks flushed.

Draco only looked at her, from the center of her bed, a small humorous smile on his face. Her beautiful brown curls were sticking out in every direction.

"Did any memories attack your dreams whilst you slept?"

Hermione furrowed her brows. He was trying to change the conversation. Idiot..but wait.

"Actually...I slept pretty soundly. See, drinking...helped." She knew that she was being ridiculous but it was very difficult to accept that he was right.

Draco smirked, "Oh, Granger. Shut up."

* * *

End Chapter.

Thank you all for the reviews. I actually put a divider between my thank yous and the story in the last chapter but for some strange reason it wasn't there upon the upload and however many times that I edited it back in.

Please review, folks. :]


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"When did you become so pathetic?" Draco sighed. He was enjoying this quite a lot. They were sitting in her living room, he on the couch and she in her favorite reading chair. Crookshanks had betrayed her by jumping onto the couch that Malfoy was sitting on and curling up next to him.

Good thing that there would be cat hair all over his robes.

"I'm not pathetic, you arse! I've just been having ordinary problems!" Hermione knew that she indeed sounded weak and pathetic but that didn't stop her from speaking up to defend herself.

Malfoy laughed, "Ordinary? Drinking your problems away is not ordinary, you silly little witch."

"Oh, what do you know!"

Draco could hear the grinding of her teeth as she snarled at him. She was going to attack him. He could feel the buzz in the air.

"I know much about the subject. I was in the same position not too long ago. Hell, I may even still be there," was the retort of the blond man.

Hermione lifted her eyebrow and her tone darkened. He wanted to snog her senseless.

"Oh, really? You drink away the fact that you were brutally tortured in the Malfoy family home? You drink away the thoughts of pillaging for food and staying strong for _Scarhead_ and _Weasel_? What about hiding from deatheaters who want to kill you just because you're Harry Potter's muggleborn best friend, hmm?"

She had stood up and was glaring down at Malfoy whose face had increasingly contorted into a sneer.

"No. I _drank_ away the fact that I could've been killed when I was sixteen for not murdering Albus Dumbledore. I drank away the fact that I had become a spy for the Order of the Phoenix to keep your bloody arses alive alongside Snape. Do you know how difficult it was to keep certain memories hidden in my head, when I was so close to the Dark Lord? I drank away the fact that my father was killed by deatheaters because he no longer cared for war. That is why I drank, Dear Granger. I drink these days, because I know that there is still a deatheater lurking in the shadows to ensure my demise…which I only recently stopped wishing for, myself," he spoke calmly as his face hardened with each word.

Hermione sighed loudly before flopping down on the couch beside him and incidentally on Crookshanks. The cat let out a great shriek, not unlike an owl's, and hopped off of the couch in anger.

"I'm sorry. I just...I just don't know what to do anymore," the witch admitted.

"Obviously," Draco smirked. He looked over at her and grinned.

"What?"

"Did you know that when you get upset, your magic causes your hair to move?" He loved it.

"Oh, shut up. Why are you still here, anyway?"

"Because you don't want me to leave," was the response.

"What? Of course I do." Hermione was confused. This man was definitely not in the right state of mind.

Draco smirked deeply which caused the witch to finally notice that he was twirling a wand in his hand. And it wasn't his.

"Malfoy, hand me my wand," Hermione gritted out with a frown.

"No. I cannot leave because you wouldn't want me to go with your wand. Grab your cloak. We're going to Potter's office."

Hermione clenched her fists and would have punched him but felt that it would be too harsh. Hoping to catch him off guard, she lunged across the couch at him but ended up pushing them both onto the carpeted floor.

And so, there she was, lying on top of him. The static in the air was charged. Hermione's hands were beneath her body between them. She tried lifting up but found that she couldn't move.

She couldn't lift herself up due to Malfoy's own arms circling her waist, her wand still in his hand.

"Granger…why is it that you are always knocking me down?" Draco questioned, his voice nearly a whisper. She knew that he was referring to the incident in the bookstore that had caused their reunion. It felt like ages ago.

She couldn't respond right away. This feeling…the feeling of them being so close was new, forbidden, different, and…nice. It was causing her always-busy mind to be in an even more chaotic state.

Her eyes were initially on his but after he had spoken her focus had moved to his lips and how close they were. Hermione blinked her eyes rapidly to rid herself of such offending thoughts. It didn't work.

"You should really stop squirming…seriously," Malfoy muttered. His eyebrows were now furrowed in a frown.

"What are you on abo-? Oh."

Draco smirked before removing his arms from around her. Flushed, Hermione still did not move. All she could think to do was…well…_think_.

"I'm going to be honest with you, Dear Granger. If you don't get up, then I won't be held responsible for my actions."

He was warm; a cozy warmth that she did not want to abandon. She found herself shakily pulling her arms from beneath her and splaying her hands onto his chest. Hermione stared in amazement at her ten fingers before moving her eyes back up to his grey ones.

Tentatively, her left hand moved up to his jawline. She allowed her knuckles to graze said jawline. She was exploring. She had never once felt this close to an individual and it made her curious.

Draco was astonished at the witch's behavior. His thoughts had originally gone to think that she was drunk but he'd been with her all morning…aside from her shower-time but he doubted that she'd had any alcoholic beverages stashed in her bathroom.

He felt the difference in the air that was caused by the mingling of their magic. It was strange and dangerous but…he liked it. He had already admitted to himself that he found her attractively beautiful and her resting atop of him like so wasn't really helping with his resolve.

And then she had to caress his face like this. Blaise was right. 'Counseling' Granger wasn't the only reason that he wanted to see her.

"I wonder…" he heard the beautiful witch whisper before she lowered her head another centimeter.

Draco dropped her wand and found his own hands brushing up her sides, over her arms, and to her face. He gently brushed a few of her wild curls away so that he could see her honey-colored eyes more clearly.

"I warned you," he whispered, before he pushed his lips against hers. The kiss was short and just a simple peck because he didn't quite know what to do in this situation, as she had stiffened the moment his lips made contact.

Hermione's eyes widened in bewilderment at what had just happened. Truth be told, she wasn't astonished that he'd kissed her. She was shocked and a tad annoyed that the kiss was such a…_tease._ This was a very uncharacteristic thought for her to have, but she didn't care.

"You've got to do better than that, Malfoy," she whispered against his lips before closing her eyes and initiating a kiss of her own. This time, Draco didn't hesitate to kiss her with such fervor that he just could not get enough of her.

This kiss of pure passion was bordering on being dangerous. Granger's hands were in his hair, mussing it up even more as his hands had moved back to her sides, his thumbs creeping under the hem of her blouse.

Neither of the two had ever felt such a connection before. Draco knew that if he didn't stop their actions, she'd be upset, he told himself. He slowly turned his head to end the kiss but this only excited Granger more. She started at his neck which caused him to mentally swear. This was agonizing. He gently pushed her away. Their breathing was labored.

Hermione slowly lifted herself off of him and leaned against her sofa but not before she snatched her wand off of the floor. She felt exhilarated and powerful over what had just happened for reasons unbeknownst to her. A small smile appeared on her face.

Draco stood up and nervously ran a hand through his hair. This infatuation for Granger had taken on another route and he needed air.

"Good. Now I don't have to drag you with me to Potter's office. Stay away from alcohol, Granger. I'll see you later." With that, Draco grabbed his cloak off of the arm of the couch and disapparated.

Hermione felt her heart drop a little when there was no 'dear' present in front of her surname.

* * *

"You're an idiot!" Blaise Zabini exclaimed. His feet were crossed and propped on his desk.

"What are you talking about? I've only just stepped into the room," Draco stated carefully. There was no such thing as keeping secrets around Blaise.

"The look on your face tells me that you've done something idiotic, Draco. The fact that you're walking into my office with your hair uncombed and your robe all wrinkled, only proves to be more evidence toward your idiocy. What did you do?"

"I can't get that witch out of my head, Zabini. At first, I just thought that it had to do with seeking redemption from the war. But now…" Draco narrowed his eyes and sloppily dropped himself into Blaise's guest chair.

"What's going on, Draco?" asked Blaise in a worried tone, "You haven't had that look on your face in such a long time. Don't revert."

"Granger's starting to make me think things that I've never really thought about before."

"What things?"

"Like…wanting to be around her at every moment, waking or not. It's all very strange."

Blaise grinned and shook his head.

"You're falling in love with Hermione Granger, idiot."

"That is preposterous. I can't be in love with anyone." Thinking back to the kiss, he knew differently.

"I can see it on your face, Draco Malfoy. Why don't you _want_ to be in love with her? Now that is a more pressing question. You're not still on that blood purity bullshite are you?"

"Of course not. I'm just not willing to be in love with someone who won't return my affections, as trivial as they may be," said the blond man stubbornly.

"How do you know that Granger won't feel the same way?"

"Obvious reasons. I'm Draco Malfoy, for one. The only women who have even bothered with me were daughters of the pureblood elite who only want me for my wealth and name. The cheapness of them all. Hermione Granger, I wouldn't dare attempt to ruin her good name with the likes of my tainted life."

Blaise frowned at his best friend's stupidity.

"I suppose that as you haven't realized it yet, Draco, I must tell you. You've _already_ done so, nitwit. She's as screwed up as you are. You're just afraid of taking a chance because that would shake the foundations that you've been brought up on. Such a risk would tear down the infrastructure of order and meticulous planning in your head. I dare say that you are afraid that you will start to sink again if she turns you down."

Blaise blinked as he realized the truth of his statements that were confirmed by the look in his friend's eyes.

"Draco, there's no reason to fear anything. Just go for it. From the looks of things, you already did…and it doesn't seem to me like there's anything to be worried about," Blaise smirked.

Draco was confused at those last words, which the perceptive Blaise noticed.

Zabini reached his hand up and gestured to the left side of his own neck. At once Draco stood up and turned to the mirror that Blaise had on the wall. The man was quite vain.

There on Draco's neck was a red mark, put there by the one and only, Hermione Granger.

* * *

Apologies for such a late update. I actually took summer classes so that I could graduate. I FINALLY have my Associates of Applied Arts in Fine Arts. Now more school so that I can get my Bachelor's in Art History.

**Please REVIEW** to let me know how you like this chapter. I'd love it if I got a review per author alert/favorite, hmmm? I'll most likely update sooner if i get more feedback.

It's one of my faves by far.


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